Eastern Mennonite School - Shenandoah Yearbook (Harrisonburg, VA)

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To the Alumni who, at home and abroad are freely giving their lives and energies for the proz mulgation of the gospel, we respectfully dedicate this number of the Journal Page Two

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The Eastern Mennonite School Fournal EASTERN MENNONITE SCHOOL Harrisonburg, Virginia

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John L. Stauffer, our able president, is one of our Bible teachers. He is a bishop, serves on numerous church com- mittees, and is frequently engaged in Bible Conference work. He works hard, and accomplishes much. He is a man of wide and varied experience, and a wise counselor. We esteem him truly as a man of God.—M. S. The President’s Message To the Graduating Class of 1940: Commencement time! You have reached your goal. I rejoice in your cultural achievement, but I rejoice more in your religious profession. Every one of you has professed the name of Christ and all are members of the same Christian fellowship. This fact makes you a distinctive group among the thousands of graduating classes of 1940, Each graduating class within the last decade has gone out into a depressed and distressed world, and you step out into a world at war. Our own nation has thus far been spared the ravages of war, but the future is uncertain, Our nation is not entirely guiltless of international provocations before the Judge of the whole earth. You have heard your parents relate experiences associated with World War Number One, but today you face the possibility of experiences that may await you because of World War Number Two. As representatives of the Mennonite Church, one of the historic peace churches, you can go forth with the same message that was heralded by the angels at the birth of our Saviour, “On earth, peace and good will toward men,” You can think peace, talk peace, and live peaceably with all men. True nonresistance is more than a mental conviction; it is a heart condition. The Christian who has the “peace of God” within, can be assured also of the “God of peace” as his protector and sustainer. Christ, the “Prince of peace”, must be a living reality to every true exponent of nonresistance. One cannot be a true exponent of peace unless he is fully separated unto God and separated from evil. Nonconformity to the world is a companion truth to the doc- trine of peace and good will to men. Our peacetime testimony and practice must be consistent with our wartime claim for exemption if we want it to be respected and granted by civil authorities. If our peacetime living is not consistent with our war- time claim, we will be reputed as cowards and judged unworthy of the desired exemption from carnal warfare. Such are the issues involved in these times. May every one of you graduates determine by the grace of God to be loyal to Christ and His Church, and faithfully exemplify the doctrine that has been handed down to us by our faithful forefathers. Your motto, “Forward with Christ,” should be very precious and real to you. The apostle Paul said, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” John L. Stauffer. Page Three